The encounter in the sick bay.

"Please, punish me as hard as you wish taicho, its my fault that you got hurt!", haku said, as he kneeld so deeply, that his forehead touched the ground. "Baka!", Ryo said, as he kneeld as well, biting his lip. "Its was my fault for not telling this young that he should`t do kido in the gardens..". "Be quiet both of you!", a slightly annoyed Yuuri said, as she sat up, narrowing her eyes down at them. She was wearing a white tanktop, knee-long black shorts, and had her long hair untied. She had bandages covering her from the belly and up to the shoulders, as well as her forearms and around her neck.

"Now get up, and bring me two cups of tea...Unohana taicho will come in a few minuts to check up on my wounds, and some relaxing tea will do us both..". The white haired captain watched as they bowed deeply, and dissapeard out of the empty sickbay. Yuuri let out a little sigh and laid down on the bed, biting her lip slightly as she felt the wounds sting. Haku, the newest recruit in the 5th division, had been doing some high level kido trainning with his mentor, the 6th seat of the division. Haku had missfired a level 78 kido, wich went straingt for his mentor. Yuuri had been watching them train, and had jumped in between the blast and his mentor, causing herself to get second and third degreee burns.

Unohana hurried to the sick bay where she had been told Yuuri-taicho was located. She was followed by two of her trusted female staff as they carried her required items. From what she had been told the captain had been burned, and badly at that...

She opened the doors to find the captain on a cot, biting her lip, clearly in pain but hiding it well. Retsu quickly directed her team to set her supplies down on a table that they pulled from the corner of the room. "I came as fast as I heard you were injured, Taicho..." Her eyes grew slightly larger as she took in the amount of area that had been affected by the burn and the bandages that were already in place.

"I'm going to need clean water and make sure the fresh bandages are ready... when I change this I do not want it open to the air longer than necessary." Retsu spoke to her attendants quietly but with force. "Taicho, I will need to remove these bandages to observe the wounds, and to apply the salve needed. But first I will give you something that should help with the pain you must be experiencing." She softly spoke the words of the kido that would numb the areas affected and prepared to remove the bandages that were in place. Her staff had already prepared what she asked for and stood ready to assist her.

Retsu watched Reikou's face and waited until she could determine the kido was having the desired effect. With the help from her assistants she carefully removed the dressings to find the 2nd and 3rd degree burns from a high level kido spell. she cleansed and applied the ointment to the wounds while watching the captain for hints of discomfort. She applied a binding kido to help the flesh knit together again and re wrapped the outer bandages to keep the area clean.

When she was finished she had the 2 young nurses clean away the dirty linens and sat in a chair next to the captain, curious as to how the accident had happened and hoping that she was not in a great deal of pain.

"I hope that it did not cause much pain, is the kido helping at all?" Retsu asked with the concern evident in her voice.

Yuuri closed her eyes and laid down, letting the captain of the 4th division do her job. Unohana saw, and heard, that through all of the process, only a few whimpers of pain could be heard, and they were muffled by Yuuri biting her lip, it was clear she had a great pain line. "H, hai...dont worry to much, Unohana taicho"", Yuuri said with a small smink, as she sat up, holding the sheets to cover her bare shoulders and arms. Yuuri had always respected the captain of the 4th division, she was one of the oldest of the captains. Her personality was abit like Yuuri`s, she could be strict when it was needed, else, she was a kind gentel woman that worried when someone was hurt.

It was then, that Yuuri noticed the two younger looking nurses, looking at her curios. Yuuri reached over and patted the youngest one of them on the head, smiling a little. "Wanna know what happend?"

Retsu was pleased that the captain had not been in a lot of pain, considering the amount of damage she had received. She continued her visual assessment as the captain lay resting.

"Wanna know what happened?" She heard the captain ask Lissa, one of her younger nurses. Unohana watched as the young nurse nodded silently to the captain.

"I must admit, I am curious as well, taicho.. those burns are from a high level kido if I'm not mistaken..." Unohana was worried, and it showed on her face as she waited for the captain's reply.

"Well...it wasent on purpose, you could say i did this to myself", she said with a little smile, befor removing her hand from the head of the young nurse. "The newest of my recruits was practicing some high level kido with one of my seated officers, but he missfired and was about to hit my seated officer. I was passing by since i was on my way to visit hinamori-chan`s grave". Yuuri stopped slightly when she said the name and looked sad for a moment, befor she began to speak again. "..And when i saw what was about to happend, i jumped in the way so i was hit insteed...he would probably have died if i hadent done it..as a captain, my duty is to protect my division..with the betrayl by Aizen..-san, and hinamori-chan`s death, i cannot let anything happend to them.."

Retsu saw the pain in the captain's eyes as she spoke the name of the former lieutenant of her division. Her death had been a great loss to Soul society, not because of the loss of a rank, but because her gentle spirit was missing.

"It was hard losing her, especially for the squad she cared so much for... I grew very fond of her when I assisted her recovery when we were betrayed. Hers was a quiet strength, not unlike your own..."

"...my duty is to protect my division..." Retsu couldn't help but admire this captain's devotion to her division. But worried about her health, jumping in front of kido spells wasn't something she could condone... All the same she was relieved to find what happened was an accident, and not an intentional attempt of the captain's life.

"The bandages will need to be changed at least once a day, but you should be able to back to normal in a couple of days. You will need to take it easy for at least the first day, however... and maybe tell your new recruit to be a bit more mindful of his spells?"

Yuuri turned her head and smiled up to the black haired captain, befor she nodded slightly. "..i will...oh, there you are", she said, looking at the enterance to the sick bay. They were two men, one who looked young and had short brown hair, the other one was wearing a 8th seat band around his left arm and looked older. "Unohana taicho, Reikou taichi, gomenasai(sorry), for the delay, we had trouble finding the kitchen", the 8th seat said, as he kneeld down, while the unseated younger man handed them two cups of tea.

"Arigato (thank you)..."

Retsu replied to the newcomers that had walked in. She took the tea offered to her gratefully, and slowly sipped it... letting it's warmth seep into her hands through the cup. She had noticed the joints in her hands becoming more sore as the years progressed, especially after performing kido like she had just done. It was nothing very serious, and she supposed she should be expecting it... after all she was going into her 6th century of life... a little aging was acceptable, well as long as no one found out, anyway...

I wonder if this was the one to have misfired the spell in question? Retsu looked at the captain, with the question unsaid but plain upon her face.

"Its fine, you didnt have to hurry...next time, please use the trainning grounds to train your kido...you could end up killing someone..", "Hai!", they said, as they walked, more like rushed, out of the sickbay. Yuuri smiled a little as she watched them leave, befor she brought the tea cup up to her mouth, tipped it slightly, and took a sip, enjoying the sweet taste against her dry throat. "Is something wrong, Unohana taicho?". As Yuuri spoke, she slowy put the tea cup down onto the small table next to the bed, and looked at the older female captain who was looking at her.

"Actually you just answered the question I had in my mind, I had been wondering if those two were the ones who had cause the accident. It looks like they have learned their lesson, which is a positive."

Unohana smiled at the captain.

"I can see how much concern they hold for their captain, their devotion is plain on their faces. I can see why you would risk your life for them... It is the same feeling I have for my own squad... Being a captain is very similar to being a loving parent at times, don't you agree? To protect them, and to nurture them, and to celebrate their success... It is a hard road, is it not?"

Yuuri nodded slightly and gave the older female a gentel smile. "Even through it was hard leaving my spot as a 9th seat for you, Unohana taichi...if it hadent been for Gin-san, Hinamori-chan and Aizen...i would`t had made it to were i am today...but i have you to thank the most, for allowing me to become apart of your squad"

"I was sad to see you leave, but was glad for your rise as a captain. I know that the compassion you have will do honor to your new division, and look forward to working with you as the future unfolds."

Retsu did indeed miss the former 4th squad member, finding her replacement had been a difficult decision... She was truly fond of her...

Yuuri reached over and placed a hand onto her shoulder, smiling up to her. "..Ill try my best..Kira-kun has become the new captain of the 3th division...we have both sufferd the loss of our captain, and of Hinamori-chan...us becomming captains and with the new captain commander, will start a new era within the 13 protection squads..but we will need your help,...Taicho"

Retsu overlapped Yuuri's hand with own.

"Of course, you know that I am always glad to assist you in whatever you choose to endeavor. Together I am sure that we can create the peace that is so desperately needed."

"Peace huh?", she said as she lowerd her head slightly, letting her long white bangs cover her face. "..Neh, taicho...is it okay to miss him?...", she said, sliding her free hand off the bed, holding it over the left side of her chest, on the heart. "..Is it okay to miss Aizen..-sama?..."

"..Is it okay to miss Aizen..-sama?..."

The words the captain had spoken would have rendered anyone speechless... Captain Unohana looked at her with a feeling of deep sorrow in her breast. She could feel the hurt rolling from Yuuri in waves as she watched her place her hand over her heart.

"I think it would be odd if you didn't feel anything at all instead. The fact that we hurt so much shows how much we cared. His betrayal hurt many, and although few will admit it, it touched our very core. One cannot go blocking one's heart from being broken, and to give all of our self to our friends is something that we should cherish... I cannot be like others and completely disregard the affections of the past at once because of the misdeeds of the present. This feeling of loss will pass in time, but now the longing for what was once a reality is something that no one should judge you for."

Retsu shifted her weight, to gently comfort the captain with a much needed hug. Seeing her grieve had touched the very bottom of her soul, and she could not bear to have her suffer alone.

"..You are as wise as ever...", Yuuri said, as the older woman hugged her in a comforting manner, her former taicho seemend always to know what she nedded. "...When Hinamori-chan was made a captain..and i promoted to vice captain...we both made a promise to get Aizen-sama home to us...it was a new start for us both, we both had a goal...Gin-kun always said i was a weird kid...with an odd hair color...i guess i am weird? I keep beliving in the promise that me and Hinamori-chan made...even through she is gone now..".

"..taicho..". Yuuri spoke in a soft tone, as she laid a hand onto Unohana`s head, and ran her thin, yet soft, fingers down the long braid that was running down her chest in a comforting manner. "Please dont get sad over my words..no one likes seeing their godness of kindness, the one holding everyone`s life in her hands..sad"

Retsu smiled sadly, she had not known about the promise made between Yuuri and Hinamori. she knew that Hinamori had taken the loss of her captain the hardest... Yes she could see how that promise could ahve been made. It made her sadness deepen as she thought of the sense of hopelessness they must have endured, the pain as Hinamori had been killed, unable to make the promise a reality.

"Promises are made with one's soul, reaching out and holding to a heartfelt truth that is within the very core of a person. Never feel sorry for a promise made out of love, out of friendship... It bonds us to our comrades, and makes us what we are."

"Please don't get sad over my words.."

Retsu took in her words, and moved so that Yuuri could see her face as her eyes started to glisten with still forming tears. Retsu could not always understand how some could hold her in such esteem. To her, she was being herself, giving comfort she saw so disparately needed.

"How could I not be sad, when one close to my soul has their heart broken before me? How can I not do what I can to mend that which is hurt? A sadness so great shouldn't be grieved alone. So I ask you, please allow me to share it with you... As a fellow captain, as a shinigami, but most of all as a friend."

Retsu moved to wipe away the tears that were threatening to spill over with her hand, as she grasped Yurri's hand gently with the other.

Yuuri smiled slightly, she was a little happy knowing that her old captain still cared for her, she had thought that her short time in the 4th division hadent been long enough for a bond to form between the two of them. "..Hai..i will allow it..", she said looking at a place over the captain`s shoulder, through all there was, was empty hospital beds.

Yuuri had always had a bond with the captains in Aizen`s time, but the closest once had always been with the captain of the 3th, 5th, 4th and 13th division. She had spend most of her time as a vice captain to aid in the other divisions, wich is were her friendship with the former 13th division captain, ukitake, had formed, it was his words that had made her grow her hair long, wich made her resembel him even more than she already did. After hinamori`s death, alot of the captain spots changed, one of the few remainning was Unohana, through age had begun to set its traces on the woman.

"Hai, I will allow it.."

Retsu was happy that the captain could rely on her. She had been a member of the 4th squad for a short time, but Retsu had found her to a dependable person much like herself... She had grown fond of the captain rather quickly as a result. she smiled as she thought of the younger shinigami taking positions of power, taking Soul Society forward and improving it.

"Thank you, Yuuri-san..." Thank you for allowing me to share your burden, and to give you comfort, how I hate to see you sad...